Light installation



Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES LIGHT INSTALLATION Irvin J. Sexton,Greenville, Mich., assignor to Gibson Electric Refrigerator Greenvllle,Mich, a. corporation of Corporation,

Michigan Application May 20, 1933, Serial No. 671,959

4 Claims. (01. 240-4) This invention relates to electrical illumination,and more particularly to improved means for illuminating the interior ofinsulated and other thick-walled cabinets and enclosures such as areembodied in electric refrigerators, refrigeration cases and the like. Animportant object of the inventionis the provision of means forinstalling an electric light bulb in an ice box or the like in suchmanner that the bulb is completely housed within the walls of thecabinet, yet is readily accessible for removal and replacement whendesired, is effectively heat-insulated from the refrigerated zone, andthe installation of which furthermore does not destroy the efficiency ofinsulation of the cabinet against inward leakage of outside heat.

Another important object is the provision of a novel method of providingelectrical illumination in such a thick-walled cabinet which pro duces avery neat and attractive installation which. is nevertheless of extremesimplicity and very inexpensive of construction.

Another object is the elimination of all necessity for providing lenses,reflectors, r shades, and the utilization in spite of the attractiveappearance of the installation above remarked upon, of nothing but aflat sheet of glass or the like over the bulb, such glass beinginstalled in a novel and extremely simple manner rendering it easilyremovable although securely positioned and furthermore serving tocomplete a virtually air-tight enclosure of the bulb in an eificientinsulating cell. 1

A still further object is the provision of such a light installationwhich consumes no space within the cabinet.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawingillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similarreference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views;

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational view of an iceless refrigeratorincorporating my improved lighting installation, showing the door of thecabinet open and partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line2-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 3 is a detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line3-3 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, reference character 5 designates thecabinet of an iceless refrigerator, the details of construction of whichcult to the light. hated as long as the door'remains open, and isaperture is left free.

extending to the light Socket 5 0 and alight switch Q in seriestherewith.

As best shown in Figure 3, the light switch may be arranged in'the doorjamb 12 with an operating button 14 projecting therethrough at thehinged edge of the door ii in such manner that when the door is closedthe button is pressed in- Ward, at which time the circuit is broken,while when the door is opened the button is released and moves outwardunder the influence of suitable spring means (not shown) to close thecir- 0 The light is resultantly illumiextinguished upon closingthe'door. It will be appreciated that the details of construction andinstallation of the switch 9 may also bevaried as desired, and that theparticular arrangement shown is not an essential feature of. theinvention.

The upper wall of the cabinet is shown as comprising spacedinner andouter sheet metal sheathing plates designated l6 and I1 respectively,between which is arranged suitable insulation I 8. The inner sheathingplate I6 is cut away to form an aperture therein-(undesignated) ofsubstantial size, as best shown in Figure 2. The 5 insulation behindsuchaperture is removed to form a pocket 20, which may be cylindricaland of appropriate size to accommodate the socket It and light bulb Hand to'leave a suitable air space surrounding them, as shown. The pocket40 29 may be lined by an internal sleeve, as 24, of sheet metal tubing.The outer sheathing plate I1 is continued across the back of the pocketso formed, and provided only with a smaller aperture 22 to permitpassage therethrough of the portion of thelight socket which projectsinto the pocket, the entire socket being supported by the plate H andtightly closing that aperture, as best shown in Figure 2. The largeaperture in the plate I6 is of greater diameter than the tube 24, andthe edge of the plate surrounding the That is to say, the insulationthereabove if not sufficiently soft is cut away or loosened for a slightdistance immediately above the portion of the plate around the aperslot21 adapted to support a glass plate 26 which is held by the grommet inthe shown position in which it forms a closure for the light pocket 29,and liesflush with the plate l6 immediately beneath or against the endof the sleeve 24. The internal diameter of the grommet, as shown, ispreferably slightly greater than the outside diam-v eter of the sleeve24.

It will be seen that when access to the bulb i lis desired the plate 26may readily be removed by distorting the grommet, while in similarfashion the plate may be easily and quickly replaced. The grommet 25may, as will be readilyapparent, effectively seal the plate 26 in itsshown relation in which it forms a continuation of the inner sheathingplate 16,- and by tightly closing the pocket 20 form an insulating aircell which prevents leakage of heat into the cabinet from either thelight bulb or from outside the box, while nevertheless supporting thebulb within the'cabinet wall in such manner that it consumes no spacewithin the 'box. Despite these advantages it will be seen that the bulbis readily accessible,'

as above remarked. The interior of sleeve 24 and other walls of thepocket 20 maybe provided with an enameled or other suitable surface ofwhite or other reflecting character if desired. While it will beapparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention hereindisclosed is well calculated. to adequately fulfill thejobjects andadvantages primarily stated, it is to bejundertion, modification'andchange within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrically lighted cabinet construction, in combination witha cabinet having relatively thick walls formed of spaced inner and outersheathing plates and interposed insulation, a frame defining a pocketwithin a portion of the wall from which the insulation has been removed,the inner sheathing plate having an aperture therein and in alignmentwith the pocket so formed, the outer Sheathing plate being extendedacross the back of the pocket, at light socket supported by the outersheathing plate and projecting into the pocket, and a tranlucent platecovering. the inner extremity of the pocket and tightly connected to theportion of the inner. sheathing plate surrounding the aperture there:

in, which is thereby closed.

2. An electric light installation for a cabinet by the inner sheathingand extending across the aperture therein, said plate being tightlyconnected to that portion of the inner sheathing surrounding theaperture and bearing against the inner end of the frame structure.

3. An electrically lighted cabinet construction comprising incombination with a cabinet having relatively thick walls formed ofspaced inner and outer sheathing plates and interposed insulation, aframe structure forming walls of and defining a pocket within a portionof the wall from which the insulation has been removed, the innersheathing plate having an aperture therein larger than and in alignmentwith the pocket, which is thereby provided with an open inner extremity,a resilient grommet having internal and external grooves, the portionsof the inner sheathing plate surrounding'theaperture therein beingfitted into the outer groove in the grommet to position the latter, atranslucent plate fitted into the internal groove in-the grommet andsupported thereby in a position of closure extending across the aper-vturein the inner sheathing plate, and .a light plate and into thepocket. stood that. the invention is susceptible to variathereof, meansfor lighting the interior of the cabinet, including an electric lightwithin the pocket, an inwardly projecting relatively thin portionsurrounding the inner end of the pocket; means closing the outer end ofthe pocket, and translucent means closing the inner end of the pocketincluding a resilient retaining and sealing member carried by the wallof the cabinet and surrounding the inner end of the pocket, saidresilient member having an internal and an external groove, and beingpositioned by engagement 'of its outer groove with the thin inwardlyprojecting portion surrounding the aperture, and a translucent platefitted into the internal groove, whereby the plate is removable from theresilient member and the latter is removable from the inner sheathing bydistortingsaid resilient member.

IRVIN J. SEXTON.

